March 21, 2010

Purisima Creek, San Mateo County

click photo for full-size imagephoto by Donald Kinney

Maybe you've heard of Half Moon Bay -- it's about 15 miles south of San Francisco on the coast. But just inland a bit -- up one coastal hill and down another -- is the most delightful creek called Purisima.

click photo for full-size imagephoto by Donald Kinney

This is another area that was heavily logged in the late 1800's to satisfy San Francisco's insatiable hunger for lumber. This Redwood, sprouted from the roots of a felled tree, is pretty gnarly -- but it's only about 120 years old, a mere child compared to the roots, probably upwards of a thousand years old.

click photo for full-size imagephoto by Donald Kinney

And silly me -- I didn't bring my tripod or extension-tubes with me on the hike -- so I was a bit unprepared to shoot closeups, but what we have here is a Clover flower Redwood Sorrel [oxales oregana] on the left (((thanks Adam Paul for the info))) and a Western Trillium flower on the right. Both small flowers, with large beauty!